My Akita got Bloat over night. He was fine the night before, but I woke up to him crying really loud during the night. His stomach was blown up like a balloon. We got him straight to the Animal hospital & they told me he had a small chance of survival. They kept trying to convince me to put him down because of how much the surgery was going to cost & they didn't believe he would survive it. Long story short, I made them do the operation & he survived it & lived for almost 14yrs. I'm in Australia, so the the total cost for the surgery & medications he was under during his few days in the hospital, was just under $17,000. It is so damn scary seeing your baby bear in that condition. It is extremely painful for them & I 100% recommend they get their stomachs stapled to prevent this from ever happening.
@leonarddobens6070 When we got him, pet insurance wasn't a big thing here. By the time it started going public, they wouldn't insure my boy because of his previous surgery. They made us pay 10k on the spot or they wouldn't help him.
Our sweet boy got GDV while we were on a camping trip in the mountains. My partner drove us at crazy speed to get to an emergency vet while I tried to manage 100 lbs of extremely distressed dog trying to climb into my lap. We got there in time--they put him right into surgery and he recovered fine. Timing is critical.... Yeah it was expensive thank goodness it was not a problem for me financially. They did a gastropexy during the surgery so now he is protected from volvulus fortunately.
My akita is 4 months and in training to be a service dog. I knew about bloat and the risk with this breed, and feed him three smaller meals a day with resting before and after because of it, but didn't know there was a preventative surgery for stomach twisting! I will definitely talk to my vet about it for when he gets neutered! Bloat is my biggest fear for him, especially because he loves chugging water, and he weighs enough now I can tell he is going to be on the larger side of the breed... Thank you for bringing more awareness of preventative care.
This is absolutely critical information for Akita owners. We got Kingsley his gastropexy at the same time as we go him fixed which was at 20 months. Keep doin what you're doin!
Just lost my beautiful white Akita on Tuesday. He came down with Bloat Friday night. We opted for Surgery to the tune of 9k and he was doing super well. Brought him home Sunday and he only made it a few more days. Not sure what happened as his heart, blood levels and everything were all normal and/or improving before they discharged him. This was the outcome had we done nothing, but he was 13 and super healthy no issues. If I get another Akita ill definitely get a pexy at time of spay/neuter. Nobody told me about this when we got him neutered at a few months old. Such a shock please familiarize yourself with this.
I’m so glad I came around your channel. I’m 100% doing this surgery when I get my akita fixed at 14 months ! I had no idea this was even a thing. And this is coming from someone who had an Akita for 14 years it’s so crazy nobody told me that! So thankful I’m doing it this time around
Thank you so much for commenting. Honestly even knowing just one person learns about GDV and bloat makes the whole thing worth it. Some people are lucky and they own several Akitas and never encounter it, but I've read so many heart wrenching stories about people losing their dogs from it. Be well!
Both my Akita’s had emergency surgery for GDV. When I got my second Akita puppy, I asked about tacking his stomach as a puppy. The vet didn’t recommmend it. If I get another Akita I will demand they do it as a puppy. Both my Akitas were saved. My first dog went to the rear door of my car insisting I take him to the hospital. With my second Akita I recognized the obvious signs. I put him in my car and drive 9 minutes to the ER. This was this past Saturday and now he is doing well. Both GDVs happened when my dogs were 10 years old. I used slow feeders and stopped giving him water right away. Didn’t exercise him the day it happened. He was 85 lbs when it happened.
am looking into getting an American Akita over the next year to 18 months after I move because they are a breed I’m very familiar with and I think they are the right fit for me. I went to a dog ‘convention’ called discover dogs here in London and after talking to the Akita stand, I know they are right for me. I’ve just found your channel as I am doing lots of research so I’m as prepared as possible and I’m definitely grateful for your videos :)
Awesome! I'm so glad you're finding the content helpful. That's why we started this channel! You can also check out our website theakitalife.com where we put up about 1-2 articles per week. Good luck with your search for your new pup!
That was an awesome, informational video. Thank you! I had my pooches stomach tacked when he was neutered. I was unaware that he could still get bloat. Very important info. He is 8 1/2, and healthy. I intend on keeping him around for another 5 1/2 years. He is irreplaceable. His dad lived to 14.
I lost my Akita of 10 yrs to this gastric torsion. He was a healthy, energetic 10 yr old Akita. One of the worse days was seeing him go through the pain and ultimately pass.
Thank you, beautiful dog there. I hope my boy is okay. He has been a little fat this year as he is getting to ten years old and I have an injury that has kept us from doing much walking. But lately he has been acting a bit different, sleeping alot and he has always been a heavy breather. I wonder if my vet did the tacking procedure when he was fixed? He also had a hernia surgery at the same time. Also discovered he has a decent cavity or broken tooth. Very informative and I like the calm music and your demeanor with what first looked like a giant cat sitting in the window sill. Definitely will be more cognizant about size of meals and water intake-I think he is part water buffalo, so I will just break that down also. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for the support. I saw some comments in a Facebook group of Akita owners saying they had never heard of the gastropexy, so I knew I had to make a video about it.
Hi their I've owned akitas since 1989 here in the UK my current dog Yogi got bloat ,noticed him trying to be sick but nothing coming up in the garden ,got him straight to the vet lucky he pulled through The bill was £4750 thank goodness I have always had a pet fund,the vet also gave a plexy at the same time !!
Wow, so sorry for your pup. I too have recently lost all 3 of my babies due to age mostly. I have found my new partner, but have been wondering about the plexy surgery. I do play pretty aggressively with my babies, which my previous doggies had zero issues, but because of info about this being an issue is alarming. Not real sure what to do at this point, will research further.
I promise to give my Akita smaller and more frequent meals. I'll also hand feed to try and reduce speed eating. And I will see what I can do about reducing a lot of activity before and after a meal. Also quality food will always be provided. I haven't gotten an Akita yet. I have to learn a lot more before I even get to the decision to get an Akita or not.
Really looking into getting an Am. Akita. After learning & researching about it for more than a year, this is what I'm really curious & concerned about the most out of everything on Akitas. Bloat has been the consensus killer of this breed based on many platforms I follow; it's real out here. I'm gonna look into gastropexy a bit more.
I lost my husky/malamute to this few years ago and i now have an akita after seeing your video enquired about this surgery when i put her in for desex and unfortunately here in Australia the veterinary board deem this an unnecessary surgery and my vet couldnt perform it even though she thinks its a good surgery, so i hand feed her one meal when training her and her second meal i soak it with hot bone broth to slightly swell it so it doesn't happen in the stomach and keep her calm after because she does try to run around with my mastiff x
@@TheAkitaLife i know its mad, i said to my vet i guess the people on the board of vets havent lost a pet to bloat, in Australia you also cant dock dogs tails or ears which i think those 2 are not necessary but this surgery for bloat is different
Vets say that, but Animal hospitals will often perform the surgery while they are being Desexed. I'm in NSW & the Animal hospitals will perform the surgery. They were the ones who told me it should be done at a young age to help prevent bloat. My Vet was useless & said no to everything, so we started getting referrals & taking him directly to the Animal hospital. Some Vets are amazing, but I went to 4 different ones & all 4 told me the wrong thing.
Im so glad you started this channel if you could put more like this and your training Akita would be great😊 i am so sorry that you Akita had so many issues 😞 but at the same time im glad his doing well. I would honestly love to see more training vids in the future so the channel can grow more cause no one really posts actual vids of training an akita cause they so difficult that even professionals dont post much cause they so hard 😅 love your channel and content. But i see your akita is an indoor one my boy is outside but he tends to howl/cry in the morning if he doesnt see us in the morning. So i would like to know your methods on house training or training in general. I see you notice i say training alot. I say this cause this is really a need for how to train them socialise them etc.
Did you say your dog is only allowed OUTSIDE?? My experience with dogs is it is VERY unhappy for them to be kept outside, and away from you. They are pack animals, and very sad if kept from you ( their pack). No wonder he cries. He will develop other unhealthy habits if left outside. Reconsider,please. Thank you.
I just lost my 14 year old Japanese Akita to bloat. I knew about it and knew what to look for, but this message CANNOT be taken lightly. It is so horrible to watch. She couldn't lay down, she was in pain, she could hardly stand up, she was weak, she drank her water so much, but I knew then her stomach was twisted as the water couldn't go down, it came straight back out of her lowered head, through her mouth and her nose. I rushed her to the vet, but it was too late, her heart was already racing, she was too old to take the risk of surgery. I lost her and I am devastated, I don't mean upset, I really am devastated. To see this happen and it happens so so quickly, you literally shit yourself. I didn't have her insured, the reason being, look at the small print. Most often, the breed is excluded from insurance policies, even cross breeds with part Akita could be excluded. It didn't matter, I saved instead for the rainy day, but no money would have saved the loss. Ok she had a good age, but when you see an otherwise healthy and active dog look at you with puppy eyes asking for help and you can't help, it tears you. Please be careful, watch video's and make yourself aware of the signs, if you suspect bloat, then rush to a vet, even if its a false alarm AND spread the word, you will be surprised how many dog owners I have told how I lost her and they said 'what is bloat'? It kills, and its serious. Thank you for taking the time to make this video and explaining the dangers.
I'm sorry for your loss, and thank you for sharing your story as a warning to others. I know it's not much consolation, but 14 years is a long and happy life for any dog!
@@TheAkitaLife Thank you. :) She did have a great life, but nothing prepares you for this sudden killer. I wanted to say exactly what it was like so if someone was on the edge of whether to have this surgery done or not, they could read what I went through and help them decide. I didn't know that surgery was possible to staple the stomach down. Hindsight is wonderful I suppose.
I think it's fine as long as you're getting regular blood work done to monitor the health of your dog. While in theory it sounds like it would be healthier, there isn't a ton of actual clinical data to suggest it's better than "standard" diets, and while we love to think of our Akitas as wolves or bears, dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, and are physiologically dissimilar to their ancestors, particularly in terms of GI and digestion. So I don't have a strong opinion about it one way or another until I see some more concrete research.
@@TheAkitaLife Yeah i know, but that's not very true. Kangal and Alabai(Central Asian Shepherd) are pretty much the largest dog out there, and they absolutely not suffer from it. Also some large breeds as you know have increased chance compare to others. I'm asking cause i live in Bulgaria, and to be fair doesn't have much faith in our veterinarians. I have Japanese Akita Inu, male at 4 months old. I'm not sure if i will Neutering the dog of it yet. And i'm kinda scared to get in a major surgery just to prevent something that may or may not happen, and if actually goes wrong in the surgery then to feel absolutely like ..... If you know what i mean. Will talk with 2-3 different vets and see what they going to say. On the internet there is way too much contradiction information. Some say Akita(Japanese are in top 5 breeds that suffer from GDV), while other don't even mention them in this condition. It's hard to make my mind.
Chances of Japanese akita inu getting bloat is alot less than ameican akita. Japanese akita inu top out at about 90 pounds. Alot of them are around the 80 pound mark.
Thanks for the info mate. I just got an american akita and noticed she has hiccups after meals. Shes two month old and I'm worried this is an early sign. Any recommendations to reduce the hiccups? Is the bowl too low?
How old is your Akita? Hiccups are pretty common for puppies. I would get a bowl that slows down feeding or you can hand feed which is good for training anyway. I wouldn't recommend a raised bowl.
@@TheAkitaLife thanks for getting back, shes two months. Hiccups have stopped for the most part. I'll follow your advice regarding exercise/excitement restriction pre/post meals. I'll also get one of those flat slow eating plates. One a separate note, do you think GDV could be caused by a nutritional deficiency? In humans we get acid reflux when the esophagus opens at the wrong time. This is due to ironically the stomach NOT being acidic enough. Could something like this be in play here? It does make sense that this condition tends to happen to older dogs. Of course genetic disposition to it plays a factor.
@@HomesteadAce It's really hard to say. It's a difficult thing to study. One thing that would make me think it's NOT due to a nutritional deficiency is that it mostly happens in larger breed dogs and dogs that are "barrel chested". It's likely an anatomical issue that is not being addressed because dogs are bred heavily on their appearance. We've seen health issues due to breeding for aesthetics in other breeds like pugs with their short snouts, and German Shepherds with their hind issues. We think of the barrel chest of an Akita as "natural" but it likely would have been bred out of the breed if left to natural breeding selection.
Could you please tell us if there are certain foods that make bloat in Akitas. I have a beautiful boy named Shiloh. Huge American. Breeder said he is the largest she has ever seen. He is svelte but huge bones and weighs out at about 125lbs. Is there food that can help keep them from bloating and also Shiloh is 8 yrs old. Is this too old to get stomach stapled down? Thank you for any and all help!
Unfortunately I can't say of any specific foods because there is simply no scientific evidence to support any claim. 8 may or may not be too old, it just depends on the overall health of your dog. Definitely talk to your vet about it!
@@TheAkitaLife can't thank you enough replying. My vet doesn't know Akitas enough to staple and I want it done where they do it quite often and know Akitas are great dogs. These people are afraid he will attack? so I have to hurry to a back exam room. His vet is lovely with him tho.He is a big love. Bows when he goes in, with a huge smile and goes(hei..roooo). You know Akita hello. He is a brindle. Named Shiloh Moon. Thanks again.
@@TheAkitaLife there is a new dog food that Shiloh just loves and the name is Jinx. I laugh at that name but I make all Shiloh's food. Lots of Salmon wild caught. Cooking a turkey tomorrow. Plenty of veggies. But Jinx is added to cooked food before serving. Just loved it for ingredients and pumpkin puree in it. Cya!
Reply request ...Retired muse putting together EMS med supplies as !moving where I will be snowed in part of the year in high country. Wondering since you have gets in the family if they ever do videos of dog emergency treatment if snowed in? Had a dog coaxed out by coyotes to never return. Have concerns about this but a dog needs to run loose some.
@@TogaTig all Akitas come from Japan, the American Akita was bred from the Dewa line, and the Japanese Akita from the Ichinoseki line. In the 60s and 70s "American Akitas" fell out of favor in Japan, and were no longer bred/shown there.
I got to this video too late. Get medical insurance, and never forget these words from the video, or you'll regret it. My poor akita went from being absolutely fine to dead in just a couple of hours. The vet tried to save him but the tissues were already in necrosis.
Thank you for your video. I have a Japanese Akita of 4 years and he is drinking huge amounts of water before and after his meal every day. I will get some Gas X into the house and will control as far as I can his drinking. I have 8 other dogs, so it’s a little difficult to watch his drinking. At least he loves to rest after eating.
Be careful of excess water drinking. A great tip, buy more bowls and place them around your home with smaller amounts of water in them, so they can't binge drink.
So how soon should I get this procedure done for my Senshi?...he is now 11 weeks old. He is a Japanese Akita if that makes any difference. I'm aware the American Akita's are larger.
I adopted my long haired Akita 7 mo ago. She is 80lb and 7 yrs old. I have no idea as to her medical history. Since she was a rescue. How can I tell if she's had the stomach staple surgery or not? Is it safe to do at her age?
I would check with your vet, they may br able to do imaging. It should be safe at her age, but there are other factors at play so I would just get your vet's opinion on it
I have another question if your boy is indoors why do you keep the collar on? I do not generally like to have the collar on all the time cause their furr tends to be flat when you take it our dont look nice and also i know the two finger rule but it tends to stop growth on the neck 😅correct me if im wrong, always wanting knowledge on these things my boys neck and furr is so thick I literally have to like hug him to get around his neck and his only 2
A lot of times we take it off when he is inside, however, we do go in and out of the house with him a lot so sometimes we just leave it on. It always comes off at night though.
we are on our 3rd akita (4th one coming this weekend) and all have had a collar on ALL the time. our dogs were mostly indoor dogs but could go in the fenced backyard whenever. the collars help for those times when they just happen to get out. if your dog has a microchip that is good if they are caught and animal control or a vet can scan them. a collar is a quick, easy and cheap alternative if they get out and a nice neighbor finds them. i had several times that the kids left the gate open and a dog or two got out, neighbor calls and we can get them back safely. flattened down fur around the neck is an acceptable condition for me compared to possibly losing a friend forever, unless you have a show dog where appearance is everything, then to each their own.
It can be pretty common for puppies to hiccup. I doubt it will be a factor for bloat. Puppies rarely bloat as well. If it continues or worsens check with your vet
Hi there ; im feeding my boy after we walk . He is my smart boy : first he come to house and than he rest about half an hour . Than he drink water than he eat . He is 1,5 year boy and im feed him twice : raither smaller portion than once big portion . Man at our grooming saloon gave me this tips and explain their stomach so how can they can twist and kill dog actually .
Just my opinion and this is what I do with my akita. I don't feed him for at least an hour before or after a walk. He is fed kibble soaked with a little boiled water (soaks into the kibble faster) and left to cool down before being given to him. Train your dog, the home is a place of calm and not a playground.
Not to my knowledge. From everything I've read, and the veterinarians I've spoken to about it, all have said it's an incredibly safe procedure. Definitely talk to your vet about it.
After loosing 3 German Shepherds to bloat , and spending $10,000. on a fourth to save him, I elected to have the Gastropexy surgery done on both my Akitas. I would not own a large breed dog without having Gastropexy surgery done on it.
im using my gf's account so if this offends dont attack her lol, i noticed you allow your akita on the couches but all other videos ive watched they say dont allow them on human furniture, because akita like to think they are equal with people. my question really is how do you get your dog to not be afraid of his cage and he also has separation anxiety the second i leave he breaks out easily destroys my cage and tears my house up till i get home.. what can i do?
If you don't want your Akita on the furniture, don't let them, but good training isn't about domination, it's about communication. As far as crate training, make the crate as comfortable as possible for the dog. Don't use it as punishment. Start by throwing high value treats in there and letting them go in and out of it on their own. Once you start closing the gate, only keep them in there for a few minutes and slowly build up duration over time.
I sometimes give my pup a light tummy massage when we cuddle. Seems to release some tension (air). Maybe it’s not something that will resolve bloating but maybe it will do some delaying or even preventing. Will discuss it with a vet in a while
I think everyone who is getting a large breed, should take in consideration this condition because, unfortunately, it is pretty common. I know its super cute that your dog jumps around, gets anxious when he/she sees you, wants to play everytime, but when it comes to food/meal this type of reaction can lead to this issue. What helped me with my two large breeds (German Shepard and Golden Retriver) was: 1.One hour before the meal, make sure he/she is relaxed, not anxious about getting food (train them to WAIT). 2. When its done no walks, no games, no activity for at least 1-2hs so the metabolism can work properly. 3. The portion is super important, split into 2-3 smaller portions.
@@TheAkitaLife yes it was. Especially 1 of my female Akita I had for 13yrs 😞 I'm looking for a big , big bone structure breed of a Akitas do you have any direction to point me to
He is very good at getting information across to people, articulate and really cares about the breed. Owners need educating, that's why the dog shelters are full of dogs.
My Akita got Bloat over night. He was fine the night before, but I woke up to him crying really loud during the night. His stomach was blown up like a balloon.
We got him straight to the Animal hospital & they told me he had a small chance of survival. They kept trying to convince me to put him down because of how much the surgery was going to cost & they didn't believe he would survive it.
Long story short, I made them do the operation & he survived it & lived for almost 14yrs.
I'm in Australia, so the the total cost for the surgery & medications he was under during his few days in the hospital, was just under $17,000.
It is so damn scary seeing your baby bear in that condition. It is extremely painful for them & I 100% recommend they get their stomachs stapled to prevent this from ever happening.
Thank you for sharing your story and let it be a warning to anyone who owns an Akita!
the good news: $17K ASD is $12000 USD - we have the insurance and there is a lifetime cap of $10000, so well worth it
Just did the same surgery today on my akita. $5600 California
@nshadyu Did He/She go ok through the surgery?
@leonarddobens6070 When we got him, pet insurance wasn't a big thing here. By the time it started going public, they wouldn't insure my boy because of his previous surgery.
They made us pay 10k on the spot or they wouldn't help him.
Our sweet boy got GDV while we were on a camping trip in the mountains. My partner drove us at crazy speed to get to an emergency vet while I tried to manage 100 lbs of extremely distressed dog trying to climb into my lap. We got there in time--they put him right into surgery and he recovered fine. Timing is critical.... Yeah it was expensive thank goodness it was not a problem for me financially. They did a gastropexy during the surgery so now he is protected from volvulus fortunately.
So glad to hear your story has a happy ending!
My akita is 4 months and in training to be a service dog. I knew about bloat and the risk with this breed, and feed him three smaller meals a day with resting before and after because of it, but didn't know there was a preventative surgery for stomach twisting! I will definitely talk to my vet about it for when he gets neutered! Bloat is my biggest fear for him, especially because he loves chugging water, and he weighs enough now I can tell he is going to be on the larger side of the breed... Thank you for bringing more awareness of preventative care.
This is absolutely critical information for Akita owners. We got Kingsley his gastropexy at the same time as we go him fixed which was at 20 months. Keep doin what you're doin!
Thank you for the support and please share if you can! It's crazy to me how many Akita owners have never heard of bloat.
Just lost my beautiful white Akita on Tuesday. He came down with Bloat Friday night. We opted for Surgery to the tune of 9k and he was doing super well. Brought him home Sunday and he only made it a few more days. Not sure what happened as his heart, blood levels and everything were all normal and/or improving before they discharged him. This was the outcome had we done nothing, but he was 13 and super healthy no issues. If I get another Akita ill definitely get a pexy at time of spay/neuter. Nobody told me about this when we got him neutered at a few months old. Such a shock please familiarize yourself with this.
I'm so sorry, Liz. That's awful 😖 but 13 is a good full life for an Akita.
That’s heartbreaking. You sound like a great owner and gave him a fantastic life.
Terrible news so 😔
I’m so glad I came around your channel. I’m 100% doing this surgery when I get my akita fixed at 14 months ! I had no idea this was even a thing. And this is coming from someone who had an Akita for 14 years it’s so crazy nobody told me that! So thankful I’m doing it this time around
Thank you so much for commenting. Honestly even knowing just one person learns about GDV and bloat makes the whole thing worth it. Some people are lucky and they own several Akitas and never encounter it, but I've read so many heart wrenching stories about people losing their dogs from it. Be well!
Both my Akita’s had emergency surgery for GDV. When I got my second Akita puppy, I asked about tacking his stomach as a puppy. The vet didn’t recommmend it. If I get another Akita I will demand they do it as a puppy. Both my Akitas were saved. My first dog went to the rear door of my car insisting I take him to the hospital. With my second Akita I recognized the obvious signs. I put him in my car and drive 9 minutes to the ER. This was this past Saturday and now he is doing well. Both GDVs happened when my dogs were 10 years old. I used slow feeders and stopped giving him water right away. Didn’t exercise him the day it happened. He was 85 lbs when it happened.
I am so thankful you made this video!! We are getting an Akita in August and we will be getting this surgery when he is neutered.
Awesome! Getting a new pup is so exciting! Make sure to check out our video on neutering!
am looking into getting an American Akita over the next year to 18 months after I move because they are a breed I’m very familiar with and I think they are the right fit for me. I went to a dog ‘convention’ called discover dogs here in London and after talking to the Akita stand, I know they are right for me. I’ve just found your channel as I am doing lots of research so I’m as prepared as possible and I’m definitely grateful for your videos :)
Awesome! I'm so glad you're finding the content helpful. That's why we started this channel! You can also check out our website theakitalife.com where we put up about 1-2 articles per week.
Good luck with your search for your new pup!
That was an awesome, informational video. Thank you! I had my pooches stomach tacked when he was neutered. I was unaware that he could still get bloat. Very important info. He is 8 1/2, and healthy. I intend on keeping him around for another 5 1/2 years. He is irreplaceable. His dad lived to 14.
Thank you for watching and commenting. Here's to many more years with your pup!
Great teacher please listen !!! From an Akita owner xxx
I lost my Akita of 10 yrs to this gastric torsion. He was a healthy, energetic 10 yr old Akita. One of the worse days was seeing him go through the pain and ultimately pass.
I'm so sorry, that's awful 😖
With any next surgery for my Akita I will add the gastropexy done. Thx, will watch out now.
Thank you, beautiful dog there. I hope my boy is okay. He has been a little fat this year as he is getting to ten years old and I have an injury that has kept us from doing much walking. But lately he has been acting a bit different, sleeping alot and he has always been a heavy breather. I wonder if my vet did the tacking procedure when he was fixed? He also had a hernia surgery at the same time. Also discovered he has a decent cavity or broken tooth. Very informative and I like the calm music and your demeanor with what first looked like a giant cat sitting in the window sill. Definitely will be more cognizant about size of meals and water intake-I think he is part water buffalo, so I will just break that down also. Thanks again.
If he's exercising less just give him smaller portions at meal time, it should help with the weight
Excellent video! Well presented, so I've shared with my friends that also have Akita's.
Thank you so much for the support. I saw some comments in a Facebook group of Akita owners saying they had never heard of the gastropexy, so I knew I had to make a video about it.
Hi their I've owned akitas since 1989 here in the UK my current dog Yogi got bloat ,noticed him trying to be sick but nothing coming up in the garden ,got him straight to the vet lucky he pulled through The bill was £4750 thank goodness I have always had a pet fund,the vet also gave a plexy at the same time !!
So scary. I'm glad it worked out.
Wow, so sorry for your pup. I too have recently lost all 3 of my babies due to age mostly. I have found my new partner, but have been wondering about the plexy surgery. I do play pretty aggressively with my babies, which my previous doggies had zero issues, but because of info about this being an issue is alarming. Not real sure what to do at this point, will research further.
I promise to give my Akita smaller and more frequent meals. I'll also hand feed to try and reduce speed eating. And I will see what I can do about reducing a lot of activity before and after a meal. Also quality food will always be provided.
I haven't gotten an Akita yet. I have to learn a lot more before I even get to the decision to get an Akita or not.
Really looking into getting an Am. Akita. After learning & researching about it for more than a year, this is what I'm really curious & concerned about the most out of everything on Akitas. Bloat has been the consensus killer of this breed based on many platforms I follow; it's real out here. I'm gonna look into gastropexy a bit more.
Definitely a good idea to stomach tack if you get a pup!
Great topic. This channel is super helpful. Even to Akita parents with experience.
Thanks so much! Comments like this are why we make these videos!
I lost my husky/malamute to this few years ago and i now have an akita after seeing your video enquired about this surgery when i put her in for desex and unfortunately here in Australia the veterinary board deem this an unnecessary surgery and my vet couldnt perform it even though she thinks its a good surgery, so i hand feed her one meal when training her and her second meal i soak it with hot bone broth to slightly swell it so it doesn't happen in the stomach and keep her calm after because she does try to run around with my mastiff x
Wow that's crazy. I'm surprised considering the statistics regarding bloat and how effective gastropexy is.
@@TheAkitaLife i know its mad, i said to my vet i guess the people on the board of vets havent lost a pet to bloat, in Australia you also cant dock dogs tails or ears which i think those 2 are not necessary but this surgery for bloat is different
Vets say that, but Animal hospitals will often perform the surgery while they are being Desexed.
I'm in NSW & the Animal hospitals will perform the surgery. They were the ones who told me it should be done at a young age to help prevent bloat.
My Vet was useless & said no to everything, so we started getting referrals & taking him directly to the Animal hospital.
Some Vets are amazing, but I went to 4 different ones & all 4 told me the wrong thing.
I swear the vet industry in Australia are as scummy as the funeral industry.
Im so glad you started this channel if you could put more like this and your training Akita would be great😊 i am so sorry that you Akita had so many issues 😞 but at the same time im glad his doing well. I would honestly love to see more training vids in the future so the channel can grow more cause no one really posts actual vids of training an akita cause they so difficult that even professionals dont post much cause they so hard 😅 love your channel and content. But i see your akita is an indoor one my boy is outside but he tends to howl/cry in the morning if he doesnt see us in the morning. So i would like to know your methods on house training or training in general.
I see you notice i say training alot. I say this cause this is really a need for how to train them socialise them etc.
Thanks for your support! We aim to make 1-2 videos per month. Hopefully even more in the future!
Did you say your dog is only allowed OUTSIDE?? My experience with dogs is it is VERY unhappy for them to be kept outside, and away from you. They are pack animals, and very sad if kept from you ( their pack). No wonder he cries. He will develop other unhealthy habits if left outside. Reconsider,please. Thank you.
I just lost my 14 year old Japanese Akita to bloat. I knew about it and knew what to look for, but this message CANNOT be taken lightly. It is so horrible to watch. She couldn't lay down, she was in pain, she could hardly stand up, she was weak, she drank her water so much, but I knew then her stomach was twisted as the water couldn't go down, it came straight back out of her lowered head, through her mouth and her nose.
I rushed her to the vet, but it was too late, her heart was already racing, she was too old to take the risk of surgery. I lost her and I am devastated, I don't mean upset, I really am devastated. To see this happen and it happens so so quickly, you literally shit yourself.
I didn't have her insured, the reason being, look at the small print. Most often, the breed is excluded from insurance policies, even cross breeds with part Akita could be excluded. It didn't matter, I saved instead for the rainy day, but no money would have saved the loss. Ok she had a good age, but when you see an otherwise healthy and active dog look at you with puppy eyes asking for help and you can't help, it tears you.
Please be careful, watch video's and make yourself aware of the signs, if you suspect bloat, then rush to a vet, even if its a false alarm AND spread the word, you will be surprised how many dog owners I have told how I lost her and they said 'what is bloat'?
It kills, and its serious.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video and explaining the dangers.
I'm sorry for your loss, and thank you for sharing your story as a warning to others.
I know it's not much consolation, but 14 years is a long and happy life for any dog!
@@TheAkitaLife Thank you. :) She did have a great life, but nothing prepares you for this sudden killer. I wanted to say exactly what it was like so if someone was on the edge of whether to have this surgery done or not, they could read what I went through and help them decide. I didn't know that surgery was possible to staple the stomach down. Hindsight is wonderful I suppose.
Great information. My 2nd Akita died of bloat at 12.
I'm so sorry to hear that. May they rest in peace
Hi, thanks a lot for all this amazing videos! What do you think about barf diet for Akitas?
I think it's fine as long as you're getting regular blood work done to monitor the health of your dog.
While in theory it sounds like it would be healthier, there isn't a ton of actual clinical data to suggest it's better than "standard" diets, and while we love to think of our Akitas as wolves or bears, dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, and are physiologically dissimilar to their ancestors, particularly in terms of GI and digestion.
So I don't have a strong opinion about it one way or another until I see some more concrete research.
@@TheAkitaLife thanks a lot!!
@@TheAkitaLife so what brand do you feed your akita? Sorry if it was already covered in your videos, I haven't watched all of them yet!
Great info. Thank you!👍
Thanks for the support!
Does Japanese Akita Inu also have high chance of getting bloat?
Do you recommend Gastropexy for them too ?
Yes, any large breed dog!
@@TheAkitaLife Yeah i know, but that's not very true. Kangal and Alabai(Central Asian Shepherd) are pretty much the largest dog out there, and they absolutely not suffer from it.
Also some large breeds as you know have increased chance compare to others.
I'm asking cause i live in Bulgaria, and to be fair doesn't have much faith in our veterinarians.
I have Japanese Akita Inu, male at 4 months old. I'm not sure if i will Neutering the dog of it yet.
And i'm kinda scared to get in a major surgery just to prevent something that may or may not happen, and if actually goes wrong in the surgery then to feel absolutely like ..... If you know what i mean.
Will talk with 2-3 different vets and see what they going to say.
On the internet there is way too much contradiction information. Some say Akita(Japanese are in top 5 breeds that suffer from GDV), while other don't even mention them in this condition.
It's hard to make my mind.
Chances of Japanese akita inu getting bloat is alot less than ameican akita. Japanese akita inu top out at about 90 pounds. Alot of them are around the 80 pound mark.
Thanks for the info mate. I just got an american akita and noticed she has hiccups after meals. Shes two month old and I'm worried this is an early sign. Any recommendations to reduce the hiccups? Is the bowl too low?
How old is your Akita? Hiccups are pretty common for puppies. I would get a bowl that slows down feeding or you can hand feed which is good for training anyway. I wouldn't recommend a raised bowl.
@@TheAkitaLife thanks for getting back, shes two months. Hiccups have stopped for the most part. I'll follow your advice regarding exercise/excitement restriction pre/post meals. I'll also get one of those flat slow eating plates.
One a separate note, do you think GDV could be caused by a nutritional deficiency? In humans we get acid reflux when the esophagus opens at the wrong time. This is due to ironically the stomach NOT being acidic enough. Could something like this be in play here? It does make sense that this condition tends to happen to older dogs. Of course genetic disposition to it plays a factor.
@@HomesteadAce It's really hard to say. It's a difficult thing to study. One thing that would make me think it's NOT due to a nutritional deficiency is that it mostly happens in larger breed dogs and dogs that are "barrel chested". It's likely an anatomical issue that is not being addressed because dogs are bred heavily on their appearance.
We've seen health issues due to breeding for aesthetics in other breeds like pugs with their short snouts, and German Shepherds with their hind issues.
We think of the barrel chest of an Akita as "natural" but it likely would have been bred out of the breed if left to natural breeding selection.
Could you please tell us if there are certain foods that make bloat in Akitas. I have a beautiful boy named Shiloh. Huge American. Breeder said he is the largest she has ever seen. He is svelte but huge bones and weighs out at about 125lbs. Is there food that can help keep them from bloating and also Shiloh is 8 yrs old. Is this too old to get stomach stapled down? Thank you for any and all help!
Unfortunately I can't say of any specific foods because there is simply no scientific evidence to support any claim.
8 may or may not be too old, it just depends on the overall health of your dog. Definitely talk to your vet about it!
@@TheAkitaLife can't thank you enough replying.
My vet doesn't know Akitas enough to staple and I want it done where they do it quite often and know Akitas are great dogs. These people are afraid he will attack? so I have to hurry to a back exam room. His vet is lovely with him tho.He is a big love. Bows when he goes in, with a huge smile and goes(hei..roooo). You know Akita hello. He is a brindle. Named Shiloh Moon.
Thanks again.
@@TheAkitaLife there is a new dog food that Shiloh just loves and the name is Jinx. I laugh at that name but I make all Shiloh's food. Lots of Salmon wild caught. Cooking a turkey tomorrow. Plenty of veggies. But Jinx is added to cooked food before serving. Just loved it for ingredients and pumpkin puree in it. Cya!
Reply request ...Retired muse putting together EMS med supplies as !moving where I will be snowed in part of the year in high country. Wondering since you have gets in the family if they ever do videos of dog emergency treatment if snowed in? Had a dog coaxed out by coyotes to never return. Have concerns about this but a dog needs to run loose some.
I'll have to ask but we don't get THAT much snow around here
Thank-you for this vidio
Thank you for supporting the channel!
I have an Akita, Athena... And even if she annoys me sometimes and takes a lot of my energy.. but I love her so much.... I'm so scared.....
Always have insurance , saves on bills and heartache xxxxxxxxxxxx
Big time! Can't recommend it enough.
Would it be a good idea to get my dog a gastropexy when hes already neutered?
In my opinion, yes. Definitely talk to your vet about it.
Do I have to worry about this with a pureblood Akita? Or just the American Akita mix
American Akitas are not a mix. This is a concern for all Akitas.
@@TheAkitaLife oh I thought they were mixed my bad, definitely going to look into getting staples for my puppy!
@@TogaTig all Akitas come from Japan, the American Akita was bred from the Dewa line, and the Japanese Akita from the Ichinoseki line. In the 60s and 70s "American Akitas" fell out of favor in Japan, and were no longer bred/shown there.
I got to this video too late. Get medical insurance, and never forget these words from the video, or you'll regret it. My poor akita went from being absolutely fine to dead in just a couple of hours. The vet tried to save him but the tissues were already in necrosis.
Thank you for your video. I have a Japanese Akita of 4 years and he is drinking huge amounts of water before and after his meal every day. I will get some Gas X into the house and will control as far as I can his drinking. I have 8 other dogs, so it’s a little difficult to watch his drinking. At least he loves to rest after eating.
The owner if Haga's father uses a product like Gas X with her dogs and swears by it.
How does your Akita get along with the other dogs?
Be careful of excess water drinking. A great tip, buy more bowls and place them around your home with smaller amounts of water in them, so they can't binge drink.
So how soon should I get this procedure done for my Senshi?...he is now 11 weeks old. He is a Japanese Akita if that makes any difference. I'm aware the American Akita's are larger.
18-24 months is probably a good time. Most people do it at the same time as neutering which should be no earlier than 18 months
I adopted my long haired Akita 7 mo ago. She is 80lb and 7 yrs old. I have no idea as to her medical history. Since she was a rescue. How can I tell if she's had the stomach staple surgery or not? Is it safe to do at her age?
I would check with your vet, they may br able to do imaging. It should be safe at her age, but there are other factors at play so I would just get your vet's opinion on it
I have another question if your boy is indoors why do you keep the collar on? I do not generally like to have the collar on all the time cause their furr tends to be flat when you take it our dont look nice and also i know the two finger rule but it tends to stop growth on the neck 😅correct me if im wrong, always wanting knowledge on these things my boys neck and furr is so thick I literally have to like hug him to get around his neck and his only 2
A lot of times we take it off when he is inside, however, we do go in and out of the house with him a lot so sometimes we just leave it on. It always comes off at night though.
Yeah I never have one on my Akita either, she is an inside dog and if she walks outside she never leaves our yard
we are on our 3rd akita (4th one coming this weekend) and all have had a collar on ALL the time. our dogs were mostly indoor dogs but could go in the fenced backyard whenever. the collars help for those times when they just happen to get out. if your dog has a microchip that is good if they are caught and animal control or a vet can scan them. a collar is a quick, easy and cheap alternative if they get out and a nice neighbor finds them. i had several times that the kids left the gate open and a dog or two got out, neighbor calls and we can get them back safely. flattened down fur around the neck is an acceptable condition for me compared to possibly losing a friend forever, unless you have a show dog where appearance is everything, then to each their own.
Maybe you should train your kids better.
This video made me think about how much my puppy has the hiccups. Could that be related to bloat? Or is it more common for puppies?
It can be pretty common for puppies to hiccup. I doubt it will be a factor for bloat. Puppies rarely bloat as well. If it continues or worsens check with your vet
Hi there ; im feeding my boy after we walk . He is my smart boy : first he come to house and than he rest about half an hour . Than he drink water than he eat . He is 1,5 year boy and im feed him twice : raither smaller portion than once big portion . Man at our grooming saloon gave me this tips and explain their stomach so how can they can twist and kill dog actually .
Yes GDV is very serious
Just my opinion and this is what I do with my akita. I don't feed him for at least an hour before or after a walk. He is fed kibble soaked with a little boiled water (soaks into the kibble faster) and left to cool down before being given to him. Train your dog, the home is a place of calm and not a playground.
How do you keep your house clean?
Haha who said our house is clean? Actually Akitas don't really shed, they just "blow their coat" twice a year, so it happens all at once.
Yeah but my akita lick the floor and walk on it so my floor is far from being like yours…
My akita sheds.. blows his coat big time 2 a year as well. I brush him every day.
If you have a smooth surface floor: push your Akita around the room when he/she is napping
Is there any negative effects or any negatives to getting this surgery done??
Not to my knowledge. From everything I've read, and the veterinarians I've spoken to about it, all have said it's an incredibly safe procedure. Definitely talk to your vet about it.
is this common in japanese akitas as well?
Not as common, but still possible.
Some dogs get their dewclaws removed. Some dogs get their tails docked. Some dogs get their stomachs stapled. That's life
Those things are not comparable.
After loosing 3 German Shepherds to bloat , and spending $10,000. on a fourth to save him, I elected to have the Gastropexy surgery done on both my Akitas. I would not own a large breed dog without having Gastropexy surgery done on it.
Thank you for sharing. Very sorry you had to go through with all of that.
We lost our American akita to diabetes when he was six years old
im using my gf's account so if this offends dont attack her lol, i noticed you allow your akita on the couches but all other videos ive watched they say dont allow them on human furniture, because akita like to think they are equal with people. my question really is how do you get your dog to not be afraid of his cage and he also has separation anxiety the second i leave he breaks out easily destroys my cage and tears my house up till i get home.. what can i do?
If you don't want your Akita on the furniture, don't let them, but good training isn't about domination, it's about communication.
As far as crate training, make the crate as comfortable as possible for the dog. Don't use it as punishment. Start by throwing high value treats in there and letting them go in and out of it on their own.
Once you start closing the gate, only keep them in there for a few minutes and slowly build up duration over time.
@@TheAkitaLife thank you I’ll try this!
Did u get ur Akita neutered?
What if you teach your akita how to burp? Or is is just something that burping can't help?
Unlikely that will help
I sometimes give my pup a light tummy massage when we cuddle. Seems to release some tension (air). Maybe it’s not something that will resolve bloating but maybe it will do some delaying or even preventing. Will discuss it with a vet in a while
I think everyone who is getting a large breed, should take in consideration this condition because, unfortunately, it is pretty common.
I know its super cute that your dog jumps around, gets anxious when he/she sees you, wants to play everytime, but when it comes to food/meal this type of reaction can lead to this issue.
What helped me with my two large breeds (German Shepard and Golden Retriver) was:
1.One hour before the meal, make sure he/she is relaxed, not anxious about getting food (train them to WAIT).
2. When its done no walks, no games, no activity for at least 1-2hs so the metabolism can work properly.
3. The portion is super important, split into 2-3 smaller portions.
Yep. Super common in large breeds.
from the comments, all i'm getting is that, i should not get an akita
I lost 3 Akitas from bloat the most horrible thing to experience 😢 😔
So sorry to hear that. It really is awful.
@@TheAkitaLife yes it was. Especially 1 of my female Akita I had for 13yrs 😞 I'm looking for a big , big bone structure breed of a Akitas do you have any direction to point me to
@@TheAkitaLife
American Akita Kennel "INDEVOR" / RUSSIA - Teaser Summer` 2020 / SportShowClub
ua-cam.com/video/nmU8F5_xlAU/v-deo.html
@@TheAkitaLife the link I sent is the look I'm looking for in the Akitas
@@ricric1 Typically British lines have bigger bone density. Not sure where to get those though.
THis guy drones on and on
Thanks for watching!
He is very good at getting information across to people, articulate and really cares about the breed. Owners need educating, that's why the dog shelters are full of dogs.
Look after your dog properly u won't need that
Wrong